New flavours rock resort

But did you know you could buy sticks of rock in cappuccino, cheesecake or even tikka masala flavour?

According to the resort’s traditional rock manufacturers, sales of the popular treat are soaring.

And the introduction of a string of new weird and wacky flavours seems to have made a major impact, they claim.

While traditional mint and fruit flavours have always been associated with the confectionary, it is now possible to buy rock in a host of outlandish flavours – 
margherita pizza anyone?

What about cookie dough or peanut butter flavour?

It may sound a little off the wall, but confectionary shop bosses in the town say new twists like this are sparking a major renaissance for rock.

Elliot Jones, 38, of Blackpool’s Stanton and Novelty Confectioners, Warwick Road, has overseen many of the changes since he began working at the factory in 1994.

“There has been a substantial shift and we’re now in a different ball park,” he said.

“We do cookie dough, cheesecake, peanut butter and cappuccino. The kids love it, because the dafter the better, but you see adults pick it up to take home as a traditional gift that’s a bit different.”

The company produced almost 3.3m sticks of rock last year – about 9,000 a day.

Sales of the crazy flavours literally doubled in the last year. They now have 21 flavours and there are two new ones coming out, gin and tonic and fizzy cola.

And flavours aren’t just being sold to seaside resorts, they’re selling nationwide, even to new markets like Newcastle.

Despite the changes made to the flavours and designs on offer, the production of rock is still done in much the same fashion it always has been.

In fact, it is reckoned there are more brain surgeons in the country than people able to make rock.

Blackwoods is the oldest company making rock in Blackpool and has remained under the same family ownership and been on Coronation Street since its inception 70 years ago.

Nicola Sian, 26, is the third generation in a line of rock makers and has found that producing custom pieces of rock to order is an increasingly lucrative business.

Managing orders through www.myrockcandy.co.uk, she said:“It’s something we’ve 
always done and we can do any design, colour or flavour. The only limit is whatever you can imagine.”

Reporter Joshua Hammond does a taste test:

As I rocked up to the front door of Stanton and Novelty, the overwhelming smell is one of licorice and sugar. I was there to sample the more obscure flavours of rock the company are producing that are taking Blackpool and the rest of the UK by storm. First up was Chicken Tikka rock. The initial taste is that of tikka flavouring, followed closely by the chicken and a hint of cumin. Very strange indeed.

Cheese and Tomato Pizza has a peculiar oregano herby taste alongside the very sweet tomato flavour.

Also on my list was Fish and Chips flavour rock. Which certainly had a powerful smell to counteract the sugar content.

Very Berry, Scrumpy Cider and Irn Bru work well with all the sugar involved. Irn Bru tastes just like its canned equivalent and Very Berry tastes a bit like Vimto. Scrumpy Cider has the alcohol aftertaste to go with the apple flavour.